Salem Hospital has something special: a Compact between our medical staff, our administration and our board that governs how we work together. The Compact supports our shared vision to provide an exceptional experience every time-- for our patients and the people who work here.

Through implementation of the Compact, we seek to create an environment of trust and respect through the following behaviors:

Assuming good intentions

Asking questions to understand others' decisions and interests

Collaborating

Taking responsibility for being informed

The Compact also reflects the reality of operating a large organization. Medical staff leadership works directly with hospital administration and the board.

The 600 members of the hospital medical staff have many opportunities to participate in decision-making or provide feedback. We encourage you to participate in committees and other processes to share your perspective.

One of the most important decisions you will make is your choice of leadership. Your leaders are your representatives to the administration and the board.

The Board's role under the Compact? "Prior to making significant decisions, provide opportunities for Medical Staff physician leaders and Administration to be engaged and have perspective understood and considered."

As a valued member of our medical staff, we encourage you to read the Compact and play an active role in ensuring its success.

The Common Ground Compact, a partnership among physicians, board members and hospital administration, clarifies and strengthens the relationship of the board, hospital administration and medical staff. The Compact Implementation Committee (CIC) works to assure that efforts at Salem Health to improve quality, safety, efficiency, value and access align with the principles established in the compact.

Communication is a primary focus of the CIC. In addition to this e-newsletter, a "communication board" now provides medical staff with another highly visible source of information. Find it in the main hallway of Building A (near surgery and the adjacent sky bridge).

Mary Maberry, Physician Office Liaison, can answer any questions about the board. She and members of the medical staff will update the information monthly. The board will feature service lines on a rotating basis, with two postings each month.

On Friday, April 18, the Oregon Health Alert Network issued an advisory about an increased incidence of severe respiratory illnesses caused by adenovirus. The Oregon Public Health Division, local public health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working to characterize these illnesses.

At the same time, Salem Hospital has identified three cases of adenovirus in critical care. We have notified the county health department and have implemented measures to prevent the spread of disease:

Using droplet and contact isolation for the duration of illness for patients diagnosed or suspected of having adenovirus pneumonia and other respiratory infections of unknown etiology.

Wearing gowns, gloves and masks when with patients who have adenovirus pneumonia.

Practicing proper and frequent hand hygiene to decrease the risk of transmission.

Provide a clear process for physicians to bring new technology to Salem Health

Use evidence to support decisions

The Physician Leadership Council reviewed a proposed charter for a new Clinical Technology Assessment Committee at its April 17 meeting. Committee will have five physician members appointed by the Medical Engagement Committee and five appointed by the Executive Leadership Council. It will review new technology with an impact of $250,000 or more in operating or capital funds.

The following from Dr. Jennifer Williams, MD, Multidisciplinary Peer Review Committee Chair, provides more clarification on the peer review process for physician assistants:

If a physician assistant is involved with a case referred to Peer Review, the attending physician for the patient in the case, is directly responsible for all clinical care provided by the PA, will also be similarly subject to peer review.

The attending physician along with the PA shall be notified of the case as soon as it is referred for peer review and be given the opportunity to respond to concerns about the case.

Clinical peer review determinations assigned to physician assistants will also be assigned to the attending physician for the patient involved in the peer review case.

A copy of the outcome letter to the PA and the attending physician will also be sent to the PA's supervising physician of record, along with a copy of the Oregon Medical Board regulations and Medical Staff Bylaws defining the role of the supervising physician in the oversight of PA patient care.

Clarification: The reference to "attending" refers to the responsible attending physician for the patient at the time the incident occurred.

A draft Skin/Wound Care protocol update provides prevention strategies and nursing care guidelines for skin/wound assessment and preventive treatment. It clarifies that a provider must order the protocol. Read the draft.

Salem Health has revised its policy for Use of Restraint and/or Seclusion. The revisions reflect Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirements. Any physicians who order restraints or seclusion must demonstrate a working knowledge of this policy through ongoing compliance.

The revisions cover:

Immediate physician notification and order receipt upon emergent restraint application for both behavioral or patient safety/protection reasons.

Beginning April 23, 2014, physicians at Salem Health will have access to an interface between the Priority Consult Software System and Epic. The interface will make Salem Spine Center triage documentation viewable in Epic under the Notes/Trans tab in Epic Chart Review.

Find spinal consults under the category of Spine Center Phone Triage. Find a tip sheet with more information on the Physician MyEpic/Radar bulletin page.

Thank you to our medical staff for helping us achieve the Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award for the second consecutive year.

This distinction places Salem Hospital among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient experience. Salem Hospital was honored for providing positive experiences for patients during their hospital stays. Salem Hospital is the only large hospital in Oregon to be honored. Read more.

A special study of hospital boards' role in developing physician leaders led the reporter straight to Salem Health's Dr. David Holloway and our Physician Leadership Council.

Elaine Zablocki, who wrote the piece, found the PLI impressive on several fronts, particularly calling out its "homegrown flavor" and "the level of engagement throughout the hospital."Read the full article.

Ralph Yates, DO, will join Willamette Health Partners on May 12. He is a graduate of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and serves on the Oregon Medical Board.

Dr. Yates comes to WHP from Portland Clinic, where he serves as Branch Medical Director. He is also Medical Director and President of the Board of Portland Coordinated Care Association and Chair of the ADA Research Foundation.

His new duties include serving as Chair for the WHP Medical Leadership Council, participating on our Network Operating Council, developing clinical protocols and systems, providing leadership and mentoring to our Medical Directors, providers. Dr. Yates will continue his clinical work in family medicine two days per week.

Salem Health welcomes the return of Renee Rash. Rash started in 1996 as an Exercise Specialist intern at Salem Hospital in Cardiac Rehabilitation. After she graduated from Western Oregon with a Bachelor's of Science in physical education, Salem Health brought her onto the staff.

Rash graduated from nursing school in 2004, after which she worked at both Santiam and Silverton hospitals in emergency, surgery and mother/baby. She served as a Resource RN, house supervisor and assistant nurse manager at Silverton Hospital.